Confused with size of speaker to get when placed along long wall in large room
I have a large open living space approximately 22’ deep x 50’ long x 13’ high. A combined space arranged from left to right with the living room, dining room, and kitchen. I am confused as to what size speakers I should be looking at. The listening area in the living room, is about a third of the entire space, approx. 22’ deep x 16’ long x 13’ high, open on the right to the dining area and kitchen.
My question is, is my listening room considered 22’ x 16’ x 13’, or is it 22’ x 50’ x 13’?
I currently have Klipsch Cornwall speakers setup in a 3’ x 12’ alcove in the living area, along the long 50’ wall. While happy with the Cornwalls, I want to try new non-horn speakers. The Cornwalls are about 10’ apart, and 10’ from the listening position. I don’t often listen at loud volumes. Mostly low 70’s dB.
The sidewall on the left is mostly glass, but damped by thick drapes. The sidewall on the right I guess would be practically non-existent, being so open.
My gut tells me that speakers like the Perlisten s7t, ProAc K8, Magico A5, are the correct size. Something like an Audio Note AN-E sp, or Gershman Grand Avant Garde, are too small.
Thanks for any insight in advance.
Your listening room is considered the entire area. While your proximity to the speakers will determine how sensitive and how much power you need to hear it, it is the total area which will determine the bass performance. Use the AM Acoustics room mode simulator to get an idea of where the room modes will be and try to keep your listening location and speakers out of the lowest modes for the best results. Bass traps and EQ can really be beneficial. |
That’s a huge room! You’re going to be hard pressed in finding a set of speakers. Having said that, there are companies out there who will come to your residence and help you pick the best speakers, power and spiffing up you room acoustics. And speaking of power, what are you using with those Klispch of yours? If you ditch them you will definitely need a different amp as we. All the best. |
Thanks for the thoughtful replies. Erik_squires: I will certainly look into the AM Acoustics simulator. Some of the walls and ceiling have alcoves, cutouts, and deep coving, so the amount of echo seems under control, but I think I am missing out on a certain amount of acoustic magic. Right now I can’t tell how much is the room or the speakers. curiousjim: the space is a contemporary open floor plan. I’m sort of resigned to the fact that I cannot get optimal sound in the space. Since it is a common space for the family, minimal room treatment would be tolerated. As for the Cornwalls, I am currently using a Leben cs600 to drive them. I have used as little as a 1W LTA MicroZOLT amp to drive them satisfactory. I will look into new amplifiers, once I settle on the speakers. |
@djwong , my home sounds like a similar layout to yours at a slightly smaller scale. One way to (partially) remove the room from the equation is with a point source design. A more focused presentation in your sweet spot, but you may give up something when moving about the house. Maybe add Daniel Hertz, Tannoy, or Fyne Audio to your demo list. |
Shooting from the hip here, but you may want to check out Larsen. https://www.larsenhifi.com/en/larsen9.htm
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